The best business credit cards for PPC

When you think business credit cards and expenses, ads may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, there is really no reason not to get a rewards business credit card, use it to pay for PPC and earn tons of cashback, rewards or air miles on it. How does a free plane ticket for the Maldives in return for your latest marketing campaign sound?

There isn’t a huge choice of rewards business credit cards available on the market, but we’ve selected the top-earning ones for you.

Best credit card for earning cashback or air miles on PPC spending

The Capital on Tap business credit card is a solid rewards credit card that allows you to choose between earning cashback and Avios points.

Getting cashback on your PPC spending is probably the most straightforward option. It’s ideal for business owners that don’t want to waste time thinking about points, how much they’re worth and what they can be redeemed for. You simply get some of your money back, either sent to your current account or directly fed into your credit card balance (which can help your business cash flow even more).

On the other hand, if you travel often, the Avios option could be better for you. You can get free flights or flight upgrades from airlines participating in the Avios programme. In some cases, Avios points may be worth more than cashback.

You can’t join the Avios scheme as a business, but the points will be credited to your personal Avios account, giving it a nice boost.

Finder's top pick for cashback or air miles: Capital on Tap Business Mastercard

• Up to 1% cashback or 1 Avios per pound spent
• Up to 10,000 bonus points when you spend £5,000 in 3 months
• Up to 20 free supplementary cards
• Up to 56 interest-free days on purchases each billing cycle

Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.4% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).

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• Who are cashback business cards suited to?

  These cards suit businesses that want straightforward rewards that are easy to understand and redeem.

• Who are frequent flyer business cards suited to?

  These cards suit businesses owners that (you guessed it!) often need to hop on a plane, whether for business or personal reasons (or a mix of both).

• How much are Avios points worth?

  It’s hard to figure out. It mostly depends on what you use them for. You can read a bit more about this in our dedicated Avios guide.

Best credit card for earning rewards on PPC spending

If you’d rather earn points that you can then exchange for experiences, vouchers and treats, American Express is definitely the biggest player in the game. The Amex Gold Business card earns you Membership Rewards points, just like most Amex personal cards, which you can then redeem for a huge range of rewards. Their value depends on what you use them for.

Rewards are a bit more time consuming than cashback (you need to keep an eye on your point balance, pick your rewards, use the vouchers etc), but also much more fun. Also, most people end up treating themselves with something they wouldn’t normally buy, which is a nice thing to do once in a while.

Finder's top pick for rewards points: American Express® Business Gold Card

• 20,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points if you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 1 Membership Rewards point for every £1 spent, plus earn an extra 10,000 points when you spend £20,000 every quarter
• Over £600 off at essential business retailers
• No annual fee in the first year*

*Terms apply. Annual fee £175 (£0 first year)

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• Who are rewards business cards suited to?

  These cards suit business owners that like the idea of treating themselves and their team and don’t mind shopping around for the best redeem deals.

• What kinds of rewards will I be able to get?

  You’re spoilt for choice. A few examples of the rewards you can get include vouchers to spend at retailers, Amazon gift cards, wine, hotel stays, flights and charity donations.

How to choose your business credit card for PPC: cashback, rewards or air miles?

When picking a rewards credit card, there are a few things to keep in mind to find the one that works best for your business. Here’s a basic checklist that should give you a good grasp of the cards you’re comparing:

• Annual fee. All the good rewards business credit cards come with an annual fee, so be prepared. It’s a case of making sure you’ll use it enough to both make up for the annual fee and earn something on top.
• Earn rate. Look at how many points/miles/cashback you get for every £1 you spend on the card. Cashback is often expressed as a percentage. For example, 1% cashback translates into £1 for every £100 you spend. For rewards and air miles, you also need to check how much the points/miles are actually worth and what you can do with them.
• Sign-up bonus. It’s not a key factor if you’re looking for a credit card in the long term, but it’s usually worth a few dozen pounds, so it’s worth keeping it in mind.
• Type of rewards. This is all about what your business could benefit the most from or what you like best. Long story short, cashback is less fussy, reward points make good treats and air miles are for globetrotters.
• Eligibility. Don’t forget to check the eligibility criteria and make sure you can actually get the credit card you’re interested in.
• Interest rate. If you find yourself unable to pay off your card balance in full, how much would it cost your business?
• Extra benefits. Some business credit cards may come with added perks, such as travel insurance.

It’s pivotal to keep in mind that rewards credit cards are meant for earning rewards, not for borrowing. They thus tend to come with fairly high interest rates.

If you think you may end up carrying a balance on your business credit card, it may be worth considering a different option (such as a low-rate business credit card). If you carry a balance, the extra costs will eat away at the rewards you earn, and the card simply won’t be worth it anymore.